Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’, characterized by its compact, upright and broadly spreading plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; dark purple-colored flowers and deep purple-colored terminal flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles; long flowering period; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Lavandula stoechas.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ANOUK DELUXE 16054’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Lavandula plant, botanically known as Lavandula stoechas, commonly referred to as Lavender and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’.

The new Lavandula plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new unique Lavandula plants with good performance and attractive plant form and flower coloration.

The new Lavandula plant originated from a cross-pollination in May, 2015 of Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 1205’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,264, as the female, or seed, parent with Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,302, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Lavandula plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands in July, 2016.

Asexual reproduction of the new Lavandula plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Boskoop, The Netherlands since September, 2016 has shown that the unique features of this new Lavandula plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Lavandula have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the new Lavandula plant. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’ as a new and distinct Lavandula plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright and broadly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching growth habit.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Dark purple-colored flowers and deep purple-colored terminal         flower bracts positioned on strong and erect peduncles.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the female parent, ‘Anouk Deluxe 1205’, primarily in plant habit as plants of the new Lavandula are more compact than plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 1205’.

Plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’, primarily in terminal flower bract quantity as plants of the new Lavandula have more than twice as many terminal flower bracts as plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’. In addition, leaves of plants of the new Lavandula have narrower leaves than plants of ‘Anouk Deluxe 1304’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Silver Anouk’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,068. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Silver Anouk’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Lavandula are broader than leaves         of plants of ‘Silver Anouk’.     -   2. Plants of the new Lavandula have more than twice as many         terminal flower bracts as plants of ‘Silver Anouk’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lavandula have darker purple-colored         terminal flower bracts than plants of ‘Silver Anouk’.

Plants of the new Lavandula can also be compared to plants of the Lavandula stoechas ‘Toscane’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,046. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Lavandula differ primarily from plants of ‘Toscane’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Lavandula are more compact than plants of         ‘Toscane’.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Lavandula are broader and more         greyish green in color than leaves of plants of ‘Toscane’.     -   3. Plants of the new Lavandula have more than twice as many         terminal flower bracts as plants of ‘Toscane’.     -   4. Plants of the new Lavandula have darker purple-colored         terminal flower bracts than plants of ‘Toscane’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Lavandula plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Lavandula plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) is a side perspective view of typical inflorescences of ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and following detailed description were grown in 17-cm containers during the spring in a glass-covered greenhouse in Boskoop, The Netherlands and under cultural practices typical of commercial Lavandula production. Plants were pinched one time and were ten months old when the photographs and description were taken. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 5° C. to 20° C. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe             1205’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,264.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Lavandula stoechas ‘Anouk Deluxe             1304’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 28,302. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About ten days at             temperatures about 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 60 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 70 days             at temperatures about 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; initially white in color             and becoming more brown with development; actual color of             the roots is dependent on substrate composition, water             quality, fertilizer type and formulation.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; compact,             upright and broadly spreading plant habit; globular to             flattened globular in overall plant shape; freely branching             habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth             rate; flowers arranged in verticillasters on crowded spikes             with showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 24             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 27.2             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 34.6 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About eight             primary lateral branches and about 60 secondary lateral             branches developing per plant; pinching enhances branching             potential. Length: About 9.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm             Internode length: About 1.4 cm. Strength: Moderately strong.             Aspect: Primary lateral branches, upright to about 70° from             vertical; secondary lateral branches, about 22.5 ° from             primary lateral branch axis. Texture and luster: Moderately             tomentose; matte. Color, when developing: Close to 145A.             Color, developed: Close to 143A and 145B; with development,             close to 199A.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement and quantity: Opposite,             simple; sessile; about 16 leaves per lateral branch. Length:             About 4.2 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Narrowly             oblanceolate, flat. Apex: Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire; moderately revolute; not lobed. Texture and luster,             upper and lower surfaces: Moderately tomentose; not rugose;             matte. Fragrance: Strongly aromatic, pungent. Venation             pattern: Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface:             Close to NN137D. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to             137A. Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137C;             venation, close to 143C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type, arrangement and habit.—Small single salverform             flowers arranged in compact verticillasters on crowded             terminal spikes; freely flowering, about 100 flowers             developing per inflorescence and more than 10,000 flowers             developing per plant; flowers with two-lobed upper lip and             three-lobed lower lip; flowers face mostly outwardly on the             spike; inflorescences with showy terminal flower bracts.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; continuous             from late spring into the summer in The Netherlands; plants             begin flowering about 13 weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             four weeks on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.             Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Moderately tomentose;             matte. Color: Close to 146A; towards the base, close to             145D; at the apex, close to 60A to 60B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Height, including terminal flower             bracts: About 5.8 cm. Height, excluding terminal flower             bracts: About 3.3 cm. Diameter, at terminal flower bracts:             About 3.7 cm. Diameter, below flower bracts: About 1.6 cm.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 4 mm by 4 mm. Depth (height):             About 8 mm. Throat diameter: About 1 mm. Tube length: About             6 mm. Tube diameter: About 1 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Upper lip, two-lobed and             lower lip, three-lobed. Length, upper lip: About 7 mm.             Length, lower lip: About 6 mm. Width, upper lip: About             1.75 mm. Width, lower lip: About 1.25 mm. Shape: Roughly             spatulate; lower 72.5% fused into a tube. Apex: Obtuse.             Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; not rugose; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             moderately velvety; not rugose; slightly glossy. Texture,             throat and tube: Sparsely pubescent; matte. Color: When             opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to between N92A and             N92C. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 83A             to 83B; towards the margins, close to N92A; venation, close             to 83A to 83B; color becoming closer to N92A with subsequent             development. Throat: Close to 83A to 83B; venation, close to             83A to 83B. Tube: Close to 83A to 83B fading proximally to             close to N87D; venation, close to 83A to 83B fading             proximally to close to N87D.         -   Terminal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: About             eleven positioned upright at inflorescence apex. Length:             About 2.6 cm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Narrowly obovate.             Apex: Broadly acute to obtuse. Base: Narrowly cuneate.             Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper             and lower surfaces: Slightly tomentose; matte. Color, upper             surface: Close to 83B; midvein, close to N186B. Color, lower             surface: Close to 83B; midvein, close to N79A to N79B.         -   Basal flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Each group of             five flowers is subtended by a single basal flower bract.             Length: About 7 mm. Width: About 7 mm. Shape: Broadly             rhomboidal. Apex: Broadly aristate. Base: Cuneate. Margin:             Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:             Densely tomentose; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 70B; venation, close to N186A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five, fused into a             campanulate tube. Calyx length: About 5.5 mm. Calyx             diameter: About 1.75 mm. Length: About 5.5 mm. Width: About             0.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Densely pubescent; matte.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 147C; venation,             close to 146A. When opening, lower surface: Close to 146A;             towards the base, close to 145D; apex, close to 60A to 60B;             venation, similar to lamina colors. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 147C; venation, close to 146A. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 146A strongly tinged with             close to N77A; towards the base, close to 145C; apex, close             to 64A; venation, similar to lamina colors.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Aspect: Mostly upright. Strength: Strong. Texture and             luster: Moderately tomentose; matte. Color: Close to 143A             and 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Four.             Filament length: About 1 mm. Filament color: Close to 83B.             Anther shape: Reniform; dorsifixed. Anther size: About 0.5             mm by 0.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 160C. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 163B to 163C. Pistils:             Quantity per flower: One. Pistil length: About 2.5 mm.             Stigma shape: Club-shaped. Stigma diameter: About 0.5 mm.             Stigma color: Close to N92A. Style length: About 2 mm. Style             color: Close to 157D to lighter than 157D. Ovary color:             Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production has not             been observed on plants of the new Lavandula. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Lavandula     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Lavandula plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Lavandula have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to tolerate high     temperatures about 40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness     Zones 7 to 10. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Lavandula plant named ‘Anouk Deluxe 16054’ as illustrated and described. 